Owner's Manual

Owner’s Manual

Nº390S CD Processor WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.

Marking by the “CE” symbol (shown left) indicates compliance of this device with the EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) and LVD (Low Voltage Directive) standards of the European Community.

NOTICE This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment on and off, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna; • Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver; • Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected; • Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

CAUTION: Changes or modifications to this equipment not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment. Important Safety Instructions

Please read all instructions and precautions carefully and completely before operating your Mark Levinson preamplifier.

1. ALWAYS disconnect your entire system from the AC mains before connecting or disconnecting any cables, or when cleaning any component.

2. This product must be terminated with a three-conductor AC mains power cord that includes an earth ground connection. To prevent shock hazard, all three connections must ALWAYS be used.

3. AC extension cords are not recommended for use with this product.

4. NEVER use flammable or combustible chemicals for cleaning audio components.

5. NEVER operate this product with any covers removed.

6. NEVER wet the inside of this product with any liquid.

7. NEVER pour or spill liquids directly onto this unit.

8. NEVER block airflow through ventilation slots or heat sinks.

9. NEVER bypass any fuse.

10. NEVER replace any fuse with a value or type other than those specified.

11. NEVER attempt to repair this product. If a problem occurs, contact your Mark Levinson retailer.

12. NEVER expose this product to extremely high or low temperatures.

13. NEVER operate this product in an explosive atmosphere.

14. ALWAYS keep electrical equipment out of the reach of children.

15. ALWAYS unplug sensitive electronic equipment during lightning storms. From all of us at Mark Levinson, thank you for choosing the Mark Levinson Nº390S CD Processor.

A great deal of effort went into the design and construction of this precision device. Used properly, it will give you many years of enjoyment.

“Mark Levinson” and the Mark Levinson logo are registered trademarks of 3 Oak Park Harman International Industries. U.S. patent numbers and other worldwide Bedford, MA 01730-1413 USA patents issued and pending. Telephone: 781-280-0300 Fax: 781-280-0490 www.marklevinson.com “Madrigal Audio Laboratories” and the Madrigal Audio Laboratories logo are registered trademarks of Harman International Industries. U.S. patent Customer Support numbers and other worldwide patents issued and pending. Telephone: 781-280-0300 Sales Fax: 781-280-0495 Service Fax: 781-280-0499 ©2004 Harman Specialty Group. All rights reserved.

Product Shipments 16 Progress Road This document should not be construed as a commitment on the part of Billerica, MA 01821-5730 USA Harman Specialty Group. The information it contains is subject to change without notice. Harman Specialty Group assumes no responsibility for Part No. 070-630457 | Rev 1 | 04/04 errors that may appear within this document. Table of Contents

Unpacking and Placement ...... 8 Unpacking the Nº390S ...... 8 Remove the Transport Screw ...... 8 Placement of the Nº390S ...... 8 Operating Voltage & Frequency ...... 9 A Quick Start ...... 10 Break-in Period ...... 11 Special Design Features ...... 12 A New Generation ...... 12 Digital Servo Control ...... 13 Digital Input/Output Versatility ...... 13 Industrial Design ...... 13 Convenience Features ...... 14 Communications Links ...... 14 Fully Balanced Design ...... 14 Advanced Digital Filter Techniques ...... 15 Digital to Analog Conversion ...... 15 Balanced Analog Volume Control ...... 16 State-of-the-Art Output Buffer ...... 16 5 Front Panel, Nº390S ...... 16 The Extended Pause Mode ...... 22 Sleep Timer ...... 23 Rear Panel, Nº390S ...... 24 AC Power Cord Polarity ...... 24 IR Input Tip Polarity ...... 27 Linking Connections ...... 28 Standard Link Cables ...... 29 Amplifier Link Cables ...... 29 Remote Control, Nº390S ...... 30 Random Play ...... 32 Analog Input Switching ...... 34 Conditions that Affect IR Performance ...... 35 Optimum IR Reception Window ...... 35 Setup and Installation ...... 36 Connecting AC Mains ...... 36 Connecting Digital Audio Sources ...... 36 Connecting the Digital Audio Outputs ...... 37 Making Link Connections ...... 37 Connecting Analog Outputs ...... 37 Basic Operation ...... 38 Loading a CD ...... 38 Playing a CD ...... 38 Random Play ...... 38 Navigating the Disc ...... 39 Direct Time Access ...... 39 Pause ...... 40 Repeat Disc ...... 40 Repeat Track ...... 40 A-B Repeat ...... 41 Polarity ...... 41 Programming the Nº390S ...... 41 Introduction to Play Lists ...... 41 Assembling a Play List ...... 42 Programming by Omission ...... 43 Saving a Play List ...... 43 Reviewing a Play List ...... 43 Deleting a Track from a Play List ...... 44 Adding a Track to a Play List ...... 44 Overriding a Play List ...... 45 Erasing Play Lists from Memory ...... 45 Why Polarity Programming? ...... 45 6 Whole-Disc Polarity Programming ...... 46 Track-by-Track Polarity Programming ...... 46 Overriding a Polarity Program ...... 47 Special Functions ...... 47 SOUND Menu Items: ...... 48 Fixed/Variable Volume ...... 48 Silent/Audible Cueing ...... 48 Balance Control ...... 48 Mute Control ...... 48 Locked Volume ...... 49 LINK Menu Items: ...... 49 Standby Link ...... 49 Name Link ...... 49 Play Link ...... 49 Display Link ...... 50 AUX IN’s Menu Items ...... 50 Changing Link Options ...... 51 Sleep Timer ...... 51 Using Learning Remote Controls ...... 52 Teaching Nº390S Front Panel Commands ...... 52 Teaching Other Nº390S Commands ...... 53 Special Commands Table ...... 55 Troubleshooting ...... 56 Care and Maintenance ...... 58 Specifications ...... 59 Dimensions ...... 61 Installation Notes ...... 62

7 Unpacking and Placement

Unpacking the Nº390S Unpack your Nº390S CD Processor and remove all accessories from the carton.

Important! Keep all packing materials for future transport of your Nº390S. Shipping your new component in anything other than its purpose-designed packing material may result in damage that is not covered by the warranty.

Included with your new Mark Levinson CD processor is a pair of knit, white gloves designed to assist you in the initial unpacking and placement of your new purchase. Please accept them as a token of our appreciation for having purchased one of our products.

Remove the Transport Place the Nº390S CD Processor upside-down on a soft, clean Screw surface. Remove the transport screw from the bottom of the unit and save it with the packing materials for future use.

Warning! The transport screw must be removed before operating the Nº390S, since it immobilizes the transport mechanism during shipping to prevent damage. This screw must also be replaced before shipping the unit.

Placement of the The Nº390S should be placed close to your digital audio processor, Nº390S thus keeping interconnect cabling reasonably short. It may be placed on a shelf or in a cabinet where it is convenient to operate, but should not be rack mounted, so as to leave access to the rear panel power switch. The Nº390S is designed for continuous operation—hence the standby button on the front panel rather than a power button. However, a rear panel power switch is provided for your convenience should you want to disconnect the unit from the AC mains (as when taking a vacation, for example).

Drawings are included in this manual to facilitate special installations and custom cabinetry (see Dimensions on page 61).

Operating Voltage & Frequency

The Nº390S CD Processor is set at the factory (internally) for 100V, 120V, 200V, 220V, or 240V AC mains operation as appropriate for the country in which it is to be sold. Make sure that the label on the rear of the Nº390S (adjacent to the power cord) indicates the correct AC operating voltage for your location, as attempting to operate the Nº390S at an incorrect voltage can damage the unit.

The Nº390S CD Processor is also set at the factory for operation on either 50 or 60 Hz AC line frequencies, as appropriate for the country in which it is to be sold. It will not operate if it senses an incorrect line frequency. 9

Warning! Neither the voltage nor the line frequency setting may be changed by the user. There are no user serviceable parts inside the Nº390S. Only qualified, authorized service personnel may open the Nº390S CD Processor, as hazardous voltages exist within the unit.

If the AC mains voltage or frequency indicated on your Nº390S is incorrect, please contact your local, authorized Mark Levinson dealer or distributor.

The Nº390S can easily be powered by a normal 15-ampere AC mains line. If other devices are also powered from the same AC line, their additional power consumption should be taken into account. A Quick Start . . .

We recognize that many people are understandably eager to begin listening to their new components, and that reading the manual is often done (if at all) at a later time—perhaps while listening to music with the new product itself. We strongly recommend that you read this manual thoroughly, as the Nº390S CD Processor incorporates many unusual features that enhance its operation.

Fortunately, we can help you get some music up and running on your system quickly, so that you may begin enjoying your new CD player while reading more about it. The goal here is simply to make some music as quickly as possible. The following procedure assumes that you have a relatively conventional system and it is already connected with the exception of the Nº390S (e.g., preamplifier to power amplifier, to speakers, etc.).

1. Turn off your associated components. This minimizes the opportunity for a momentary electrical surge disturbing your system while making connections. If you have a large power amplifier, allow its power supply to fully discharge before proceeding (which may take as long as several minutes, depending on its design).

10 2. Remove the transport screw from the bottom of the Nº390S. If you have not done so already, remove the knurled transport screw from the bottom of the Nº390S now. Be sure to save it and all packing material for possible future use. (Shipping the Nº390S without proper packing material and without the transport screw in its proper position may cause damage to the unit that would not be covered by the warranty.)

3. Connect the Nº390S to AC power. Connect the AC cord to the Nº390S at the receptacle on the rear panel, and then to your AC outlet. Then turn on the power switch just above the AC power receptacle. (The international symbol for “on” is a single vertical line: |. “Off” is symbolized by a circle: O.) The Nº390S will take a few moments to initialize and will then be ready to use.

4. Connect either the XLR or the RCA analog outputs on the Nº390S to an appropriate input of your preamplifier. When properly implemented, balanced interconnection via XLR connectors and high quality balanced cables offers superior performance, and is preferred to single-ended RCA interconnection. Both sets of outputs on your Nº390S have been optimized to ensure maximum compatibility in a wide range of systems. (Note that you should never connect a line-level component such as a CD player to a phono input on a preamplifier. Although no damage is likely to result to either CD player or preamplifier, the sound will be badly distorted and the volume may be much louder than you expect.)

4a. If going direct from the Nº390S to an amplifier! See Special Functions setup on page 47 to set the Nº390S to variable output mode.

5. Power up the rest of the system, leaving the power amplifiers for last. Always turn the power amplifier(s) off first, and on last. This good habit minimizes the opportunity for unexpected tran- sients to be passed to your loudspeakers. Another good habit is to reduce the volume on your preamplifier to minimum value before you restore power to the system. When the Nº390S is in its variable preamp mode, it powers up at a low volume to minimize sudden changes in volume.

6. Load a disc in the drawer and press Play; slowly raise the volume on your preamplifier. Congratulations! You should now be able to enjoy your favorite music while reading the rest of this manual. (Please, do read the rest of this manual.)

11 Break-in Period Although your Mark Levinson Nº390S CD Processor delivers outstanding performance straight out of the box, you should expect to hear it continue to improve as it reaches its normal operating temperatures and its various components “break-in.” It has been our experience that the greatest changes occur within the first 300 hours, as the Nº390S reaches thermal equilibrium and capacitors become fully formed. After this initial break-in, its performance will remain quite constant.

The only exception to this rule is if power is removed from the unit for more than a few minutes, allowing it to cool down. Depending on the degree of cooling involved, you should expect a brief warm-up period before the Nº390S’s sound quality is at its best. Unless your Nº390S was allowed to become quite chilled, subsequent thermal re-stabilization should not take long. Special Design Features

Congratulations on your purchase of the Nº390S CD Processor. The design team is confident you will enjoy the outstanding performance of the Nº390S for many years. In case you are interested in technical details, what follows is a brief outline of some of the key technologies in your new CD player.

A New Generation The task of a CD player is easy to define: it must recover the correct data from the disc and convert that data to a series of analog voltages with neither amplitude nor timing errors (sometimes called “jitter”). As simple as this sounds, achieving it in reality has been extremely difficult—as evidenced by the significant sonic differences between various CD players.

Conventional CD player design depends heavily on the quality of the oscillator used to control the rate at which the disc spins. This oscillator exists in an extremely “noisy” electrical environment close to the motor that spins the disc. The electrical noise introduces timing errors in the delivery of the digital signal that have come to be known as “jitter.” Subsequent handling of the digital audio signal in traditional CD player designs cannot improve upon this “jittery” signal, lacking a better reference. To the contrary, the various stages of signal processing between the 12 laser pickup and the actual conversion to analog can only contribute additional jitter of their own.

The Mark Levinson Nº390S leaps beyond conventional digital audio technology by employing a proprietary, closed-loop jitter- reduction system in conjunction with a double speed CD-ROM drive. Using a custom-made crystal oscillator with better than five part-per-million accuracy, the digital signal is re-clocked immediately before its conversion to analog, eliminating transport-related jitter from the digital audio signal. This same crystal oscillator controls the all-digital servo used to control the rate at which the disc spins, and the digital to analog conversion process.

In effect, the design of the Nº390S turns the accepted status quo on its head. By placing the all-important reference clock immediately prior to digital to analog conversion, and slaving all the mechanical sub-assemblies to it rather than the other way around, the signal presented to the outputs of the Nº390S is uncontaminated by electrically- or mechanically-induced jitter. The sonic advantages of this design are immediately apparent in the clarity, warmth and stunning dynamic contrasts exhibited by the Nº390S. Digital Servo Control The laser mechanism used in the Nº390S uses all digital servo controls of its operations. Critical functions such as focus and tracking are handled completely in the digital domain with mathematical precision. A digital servo remains stable over time, never needing readjustment under normal conditions.

Digital Input/Output The Nº390S CD player incorporates two digital inputs, allowing Versatility two external digital sources such as a laser disc player and digital cable radio to benefit from the excellent digital processor incorporated within. The two most common digital interfaces are supported for the widest compatibility: EIAJ (sometimes called “TosLink™”) and S/PDIF coaxial, via an RCA connector.

Two high quality digital output configurations are also supported in the Nº390S. A new complementary driver for the balanced AES/EBU electrical output delivers outstanding performance to the high quality XLR connector. A single-ended S/PDIF electrical output is also provided via an RCA connector. These digital outputs may be used to feed the input of digital recorders or an outboard digital processor, and they both benefit from the closed- loop jitter reduction circuitry described above. (In effect, they duplicate the functionality and performance of the corresponding outputs on a Mark Levinson Nº37 CD transport.)

All digital interfaces have been carefully optimized to deliver the finest performance each interface standard allows. As a direct 13 result, the Nº390S performs optimally with any digital processor, without having to resort to techniques which would limit its compatibility with other products.

Industrial Design The Nº390S shares the handsome industrial design of other Mark Levinson components such as the Nº380 preamplifier. The combination of the hand-brushed, black-anodized aluminum faceplate and bead-blasted custom-machined buttons make operating the Nº390S a tactile as well as a sonic pleasure.

A large, easily read display provides information as to the operational status of the Nº390S from across the room, making the supplied remote control more genuinely useful than on products lacking such a display.

In keeping with its sophisticated design, the Nº390S also incorporates a Mark Levinson-designed loading mechanism. Contrasting strongly with the bulky, plastic drawers commonly used, the slim 1⁄8 inch drawer is machined from a solid piece of aluminum and rides on highly polished bearings. Its variable- speed design opens and closes quickly, but without jarring the disc contained within, nor risking a jam from dislodging it. Convenience Features Too often, high performance CD players have eschewed convenience in the hopes of seeming more “performance-oriented.” While there were good arguments for such a “minimalist” design in the days of analog turntables, the time is long gone when the audiophile needed to give up operational convenience for musical performance. After all, convenience features in a digital product are largely a matter of writing appropriate software, and have no affect on the quality of the digital data itself.

The Nº390S supports a variety of custom programming options, including “delete programming” wherein selected tracks are omitted from the play list. This allows the user to skip the one or two songs on an otherwise good disc that have been overplayed ad nauseam. The Nº390S will remember such programs for thousands of discs, should you want to save that many programs.

Communications Links As with all Mark Levinson 30-series components, the Nº390S incorporates a sophisticated inter-component communications bus. Unique among high performance audio systems, Mark Levinson 30-series components offer a degree of system integration that makes even complex systems a pleasure to use.

For example, bringing the Nº390S CD Processor out of standby will also bring the Linked preamplifier and power amplifier(s) out of standby, and select the appropriate inputs on the preamplifier 14 so that a CD can be enjoyed. Even a sophisticated system with many components can thus offer one-button simplicity of operation.

In short, the Mark Levinson Nº390S establishes a new standard for performance and practicality among high end CD players and should be auditioned by anyone who desires the finest in digital audio.

Fully Balanced Design The Nº390S is fully balanced in both the analog and digital domains. Information from the disc and single-ended digital inputs are immediately converted to balanced signals and routed to balanced DACs by way of an LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signal) transmission line. This design technique, borrowed from separate Mark Levinson digital processors, preserves the faultless timing of the digital audio signal made possible by our Closed Loop Jitter Reduction (CLJR) system mentioned earlier in this manual.

An Arlon 25N® printed circuit board provides the foundation for the critical analog audio circuit. First used in the Nº32 Reference Preamplifier, this superior material offers superb dielectric properties and helps the Nº390S achieve remarkable performance with complex audio signals. Design of the fully balanced DAC/analog output module follows the Mark Levinson tradition of rigorous component selection. An unusual hybrid design approach incorporating both advanced Surface-Mount and “through-hole” technologies, allows us to utilize the optimum part at each location in the circuit, without the constraints on parts selection normally associated with traditional PCB assembly practices. Every active device has been painstakingly selected for top technical performance, with final selections of top performing devices determined by numerous, controlled sonic evaluations.

Advanced Digital Filter Just as with Mark Levinson separate Digital Audio Processors, such Techniques as our Nº30.6 Reference, the Nº390S incorporates advanced digital filter techniques carefully chosen to optimize the sonic performance of its on-board digital processor. Whether playing a CD, or decoding a digital signal received through an auxiliary input, sample depth is increased to 24 bits and sample rate increased to 352.8kHZ or 384kHz (input rate dependent) prior to conversion to an analog signal. This sophisticated “processing” of the digital signal before conversion (referred to variously as “unconversion”, “upsampling”, or “oversampling”) is a fundamental contributor to the excellent sound achieved by all Mark Levinson digital processors. The Nº390S confirms its internal conversion rate on its front panel display each time a disc is loaded, or an auxiliary input is chosen and locked.

15 The Nº390S also incorporates High Definition Compatible Digital® decoding to take full advantage of the resolution available from HDCD encoded 16-bit CDs. The HDCD format retains more of the resolution inherent in modern high resolution recordings than can be accommodated by the normal CD standard by encoding information more efficiently within the 16-bit space available on the disc.

Digital to Analog Digital to analog conversion within the Nº390S is performed at an Conversion extraordinarily high level and features a Mark Levinson-developed, balanced implementation of the Analog Devices AD1853—a new class of multi-bit Sigma/Delta DAC devices delivering superb technical performance. In addition to its unusual multi-bit architecture and unlike typical Sigma/Delta devices, the AD-1853 has a differential current output stage, which allows us to optimize the critical current-to-voltage(I/V) conversion stage with dedicated operational amplifiers possessing superlative rise time and bandwidth characteristics. Following this, a new active analog filter circuit, implemented in a differential amplifier, sums both halves of the balanced signal and provides superb common mode noise rejection in addition to its outstanding filter characteristics.

This approach to the Digital-to-Analog circuit block yields distortion and noise levels that are extraordinarily low and contributes greatly to the natural sound of the Nº390S. Balanced Analog Rather than use the digital attenuator on-board the DAC, the Volume Control Nº390S incorporates a fully balanced analog volume control similar to that found in Mark Levinson separate preamplifiers. When activated (by turning on the variable output function under setup: sound), the output of the Nº390S may be attenuated in precise 0.1dB steps through most of the range. Significantly, the Nº390S maintains the full performance of its remarkable DACs at all volume levels—something impossible with digital volume controls, regardless of what techniques may be employed to mask the sonic consequences of this design approach.

State-of-the-Art The balanced discrete output buffer circuitry used in the Nº390S Output Buffer employs the same topology used in the remarkable Mark Levinson Nº32 Reference Preamplifier. A hallmark of Mark Levinson preamplifier and digital processor design, this circuit has proven itself time and time again to be both sonically transparent and exceptionally immune to adverse interactions with interconnecting cables and unusual input impedance characteristics of power amplifiers or preamplifiers. The Nº390S features a new, ultra compact, implementation of the Mark Levinson output buffer circuit pushing noise coupling and parasitic effects to vanishingly small levels. This exceptionally robust output stage allows the Nº390S to make the most of what whatever combination of preamplifier, power amplifier, or cables you choose to use.

16 Front Panel, Nº390S

1. display intensity Pressing this button varies the brightness of the display. Four brightness levels are available, including “display off.” All other front panel LEDs change their brightness levels appropriately, except that they remain at the dimmest level when the display itself is off.

When power is first applied to the Nº390S (or when power is restored after an interruption), the display is automatically set to its highest level.

Pressing the display intensity button once dims the display one level; pressing it again turns the display off; pressing display intensity once more returns the display to its brightest level; pressing it a fourth time will return it to medium. (If other Mark Levinson components in the system are “Linked” to the Nº390S, all display intensities can change in unison. See Special Functions for more information.)

If the display is set to “off,” pressing any key will cause it to light at medium intensity for approximately four seconds in order to display the action of the key press. 2. Infrared Transceiver (within display) Infrared commands transmitted from the remote control are received by a receiver behind this section of the display. Remote control of the Nº390S may be unreliable if there is not a clear line of sight between the remote control and the receiver (if the remote is far off-axis, or if the Nº390S is within a cabinet, for example). In such a case consider using a third- party IR repeater to route the signal to the IR input jack on the rear panel (see Rear Panel, Nº390S).

17 In addition to receiving IR commands, the Nº390S has the ability to teach a learning remote control its own commands from an IR transmitter located in this same area. (See Using Learning Remote Controls for more information.)

3. Special Mode Indicator The first character in the display is reserved for indication of special modes of operation. For example, a P is displayed in this space to indicate a Program (a special sequence of tracks) is being played: A and B alternate while an A-B loop is being repeated. Similarly, an R is displayed to denote random play, and is displayed to denote pause.

4. Track Indicator The next two characters are used to indicate the number of the track being played. When a compact disc is loaded but the transport is in the stop mode, this same space indicates the total number of tracks on the disc (or in the program for the current disc, if programmed). 5. Time Indicator The time section of the display can be set to display any of the following four indications of time in minutes and seconds: • time elapsed in track (neither LED lit) • time elapsed on disc (time on disc LED lit) • time remaining on track (time remaining LED lit) • time remaining on disc (time on disc and time remaining LEDs lit)

In effect, the Nº390S assumes you will be most interested seeing elapsed time on the current track; only departures from that assumption are denoted by LEDs. The Nº390S will remember the last display mode selected and continue to display that information until you change it, except in stop (when it always defaults to showing the time remaining on disc, or in the disc’s play list if it has been programmed). Once in stop, the time indication may be changed to show any of the other display modes (if desired).

These four options are accessed by pressing the mode button to the right of the display until TIMES is shown in the display (see 6, below). Then, use the mode + or mode – keys to cycle through the four modes of time display, using the time on disc and time remaining LEDs to indicate which mode is 18 chosen at any moment.

6. mode button The mode button beside the display cycles through the four functions that can be controlled by the mode + and mode – buttons (either on the front panel or the remote control).

These four modes are: • PROGRAM (for creating custom play lists) • INPUTS (for selecting a digital source) • TIMES (for selecting a time indication) • VOLUME* (for controlling the volume of the Nº390S*) * (Note that the volume control is only made available if the Nº390S’s variable output mode is engaged; see Special Functions for more information.)

Any of these four modes (three modes if using the fixed output) may be accessed by repeatedly pressing the mode button, thereby cycling through the options.

Once a particular mode is chosen, pressing the mode + and mode – buttons “increases” or “decreases” that particular function. For example, mode + would either: add a track to a play list; select the next digital input; advance to the next time indication; or raise the volume.

Along with mode + and mode –, the mode button is also used to change the option settings. (See Special Functions.)

7. Repeat button You may choose to either repeat the entire disc (including any programs you might have entered for that particular disc) or an individual track by pressing the repeat button. From normal operation, the first press of the repeat button will light the disc repeat LED below the display (number 11 in the front panel illustration). Pressing the repeat button again will light the track repeat LED (number 13 in the front panel illustration). Pressing it a third time will cycle out of any repeating mode, as will pressing stop/drawer at any time. In either case, both repeat LEDs will be extinguished to indicate the absence of any repeat mode.

8. Drawer The Nº390S employs an elegant, slim drawer that is machined from a solid piece of aluminum. It is normally opened and closed by pressing the stop/drawer button (number 15 in the front panel illustration). If opened, it may also be closed simply by gently pushing the front edge inward (as though 19 you were going to close it manually). The Nº390S will interpret this as a request to close the drawer and take over for you, smoothly closing the drawer.

If the Nº390S senses an obstruction during opening of the drawer mechanism, it will attempt to re-close. If successful, it will read the disc’s table of contents and display the disc’s number of tracks and total time (followed by the play list’s track and time information, if one exists). If for any reason the drawer does not close fully, the display will show DRAWER to indicate the problem. After removing the obstruction, press the stop/drawer button again to close the drawer normally.

Similarly, if the Nº390S senses an obstruction during the closing of its drawer, it is designed to stop immediately and will attempt to reopen. If the nature of the obstruction prevents this also, it will stop where it is and wait for your intervention, displaying STOPPED! to indicate the problem. After removing the obstruction, press the stop/drawer button again to close the drawer.

9. HDCD® indicator This LED will illuminate when the Nº390S is playing HDCD- encoded material, whether from the CD transport or from an external digital source. 10. mode – and mode + buttons Using these two buttons in conjunction with the mode button, any of four different Nº390S functions can be controlled from the front panel: • PROGRAM (for creating custom play lists) • INPUTS (for selecting a digital source) • TIMES (for selecting a time indication) • VOLUME* (for controlling the volume of the Nº390S*) * (Note that the volume control is only made available if the Nº390S’s variable output mode is engaged; see Special Functions for more information.)

Any of these four modes (three modes if using the fixed output) may be accessed by repeatedly pressing the mode button, thereby cycling through the options.

Along with mode + and mode –, the mode button is also used 20 to change the option settings. (See Special Functions.)

For detailed information on programming the Nº390S, see Programming the Nº390S later in this manual.

11. disc repeat LED This LED is lit when the Nº390S is set to repeat a disc (or a disc’s program, if it has one) endlessly. This feature is accessed using the repeat button (see number 7, page 19).

12. prev/rew button Pressing this button momentarily will return you to the beginning of the previous track. Pressing and holding this button will instead perform a reverse scan of the music, reminiscent of the rewind function found on many tape decks. This scanning mode may be either audible or silent (according to your choice in the setup: sound menu; see Special Functions), and it allows you to quickly find a particular point within a track. (Incidentally, if you wish to listen to the current track over again from the beginning, simply press play while the track is playing.) 13. track repeat LED This LED is lit when the Nº390S is set to repeat a single track endlessly. This feature is accessed using the repeat button (see number 7, page 19).

14. next/f.fwd button Pressing this button momentarily will advance the Nº390S to the beginning of the next track. Pressing and holding this button will instead perform a fast forward scan of the music, reminiscent of the fast forward function found on many tape decks. This scanning mode may be either audible or silent (according to your choice in the setup: sound menu; see Special Functions), and it allows you to quickly find a particular point within a track.

15. stop/drawer Pressing this button once while a disc is playing will stop the disc, resulting in the total number of tracks and the total time on the disc being displayed. (Both the time on disc and the time remaining LEDs are lit to clarify the meaning of the information being displayed at this point.) Pressing this button once the disc has stopped, or if there is no disc in the transport, will cause the drawer to open.

Pressing the stop/drawer button will cause an open drawer to 21 close. If it senses a disc in the drawer, the Nº390S will confirm its internal conversion rate on the display (24-bit, 352kHz) and then read the disc’s table of contents so that it may display the total number of tracks and the total time on the disc for your information. If a custom play list exists for the disc, the total number of tracks and the total time of the play list is displayed instead.

16. time on disc and time remaining LED indicators These LEDs are used to indicate which of the four available display modes the Nº390S is in. The four indications of time that can be displayed are: • time elapsed in track (neither LED lit) • time elapsed on disc (time on disc LED lit) • time remaining on track (time remaining LED lit) • time remaining on disc (time on disc and time remaining LEDs lit)

These four options are accessed by selecting the TIMES mode (using the mode button) and repeatedly pressing the mode + or mode – buttons, which cycle forward or backward through the four modes, respectively. 17. play button As you might guess, press this button in order to play a disc. If a programmed sequence of tracks exists for that particular disc, the program will be played from its beginning. Also, as you might expect, you may press the play button immediately after placing a disc in the Nº390S’s drawer; the drawer will close and the Nº390S will enter the play mode as soon as it has confirmed its internal conversion rate (24-bit, 352kHz), has read the disc’s table of contents and checked to see if a program exists that ought to be played.

The play button has another important function: if you wish to return to the beginning of the track currently playing, simply press play to restart at the beginning of that same track. If the Nº390S is in pause, pressing play will re-cue the disc at the beginning of the current track.

18. pause button Pressing this button once during play will pause the Nº390S at that point within the track; the display will show double bars () as a reminder that you are in the pause mode. Pressing the pause button a second time will resume play.

The Extended Pause Mode After two minutes in pause, the Nº390S will go into an “extended pause” mode. Extended pause stops the disc and 22 turns off the laser against the possibility that you have been called away and may not return for some time. The Nº390S will slowly flash the double bars () to indicate that you are in the extended pause mode rather than normal pause.

You may force the Nº390S into extended pause mode by pressing and holding the pause button (on either the front panel or the remote control) until the double bars begin to blink. In effect, extended pause is much like stop, with the exception that pressing pause will return you to the point on the disc where you had left off listening after only a momentary hesitation to spin the disc back up to speed and scan to the appropriate point. 19. Standby & Standby LED Assuming that the Nº390S is connected to AC power and the main power switch on the rear panel is in the “|” position (see Rear Panel, Nº390S), pressing this button takes the Nº390S out of standby mode and enables the front-panel controls.

When the Nº390S’s main power switch is first turned on (or when power is restored after an interruption), the Nº390S will go through a brief initialization and then be ready to operate (that is, it won’t be in standby mode).

Pressing standby again places the Nº390S into standby mode, which turns the display off, turns off all digital outputs, and disables the front-panel controls. The internal circuitry remains powered up in order to maintain its thermal stability and optimum performance at all times.

Pressing standby, drawer, or play will bring the Nº390S out of standby, enabling the front panel controls, and activating the display and outputs.

While the Nº390S is in standby, the LED above the standby button flashes approximately every five seconds. (When the Nº390S is Linked to other Mark Levinson components, all their standby lights will blink in unison.) When the Nº390S is ready to operate (that is, when it is not in standby mode), this 23 LED remains lit continuously.

Sleep Timer As shipped from the factory, the Nº390S will remain on until you deliberately place it in standby. If you prefer for it to automatically enter standby after a particular period of time, press and hold the standby button until the display reads MANUAL. Pressing the next/f.fwd button will advance it in one minute increments to a maximum of 120 minutes. Pressing the prev/rew button will decrease the sleep timer by one minute increments. Reducing the timer setting below 1 minute will return it to normal, MANUAL operation.

These options represent the length of time the Nº390S before it will automatically go into standby. Having made your selection, simply allow the Nº390S to time out (when the display reverts to its normal operation, indicating disc information). You may change your Nº390S back to manual standby mode before it enters standby by reversing this process.

The sleep timer will automatically reset itself to MANUAL after having been activated. In this fashion, you can set it and forget it without having a subsequent listening session interrupted unexpectedly.

Rear Panel, Nº390S

1. AC power input and switch This input accepts AC power from the AC mains (via the supplied AC cable).

Warning! The Nº390S is set internally for 100, 120, 200, 220, or 240VAC 24 mains operation at either 50 or 60Hz. Make sure that the label on the bottom of the unit indicates the correct AC operating voltage and frequency for your location before connecting it to AC mains.

Connect the female end of this cable to the Nº390S. Connect the male end of this cable to wall outlet or to an “unswitched” convenience outlet like those found on some audio components.

AC Power Cord Polarity

Turn on the power by pressing the top of the power switch above the power cord receptacle (it has a solid vertical line to indicate “on”: |). Caution: Do not switch power off and on rapidly, as this interrupts the normal power-up sequence. We advise waiting at least five seconds between power cycles.

2. Digital Outputs These outputs provide digital audio signal (DAS) via cables equipped with either XLR-type or RCA-type connectors to a digital audio processor.

The XLR output conforms to the Audio Engineering Society/ European Broadcast Union (AES/EBU) professional digital audio standard, which calls for a 110Ω transmission of the DAS. Use a digital interconnecting cable specifically designed for the 110Ω AES/EBU standard when using this input, with pin assignments as indicated below:

Pin 1: Signal ground Pin 2: Signal + (non-inverting) Pin 3: Signal – (inverting) Connector ground lug: chassis ground

It has been Mark Levinson’s experience that the AES/EBU 25 interconnection standard offers the best quality of all digital transmission interfaces when fully optimized, and we recommend its use wherever possible between Mark Levinson components.

However, optimizing any electrical digital interface completely represents a significant engineering challenge. It is entirely possible that a different type of input may actually outperform a less-than optimized AES/EBU implementation on some brands of digital components. For this reason, we have gone to great lengths to fully optimize both of the digital outputs on the Nº390S. If you are using your Nº390S with a different brand of processor, we recommend experimenting to determine which type of input on that component results in the best audible performance.

The RCA output provides digital audio signal (DAS) via cables equipped with RCA-type connectors to the digital processor. It conforms to the Sony/Phillips Digital Interface Standard (S/PDIF), which calls for a 75Ω transmission of the DAS. Use a digital interconnecting cable specifically designed for the 75Ω S/PDIF standard when using this output. 3. digital inputs These inputs accept digital audio signal (DAS) via cables equipped with either EIAJ optical or RCA (S/PDIF) coaxial connectors from digital sources such as a compact disc transport, laser disc transport, digital audio tape transport, or digital broadcast receiver.

The EIAJ input accepts digital audio signal (DAS) via optical cable equipped with the EIAJ optical connector (sometimes called “Toslink™”) from digital sources such as a compact disc transport, laser disc transport, digital audio tape transport, or digital broadcast receiver.

The RCA input accepts digital audio signal (DAS) via cables equipped with RCA-type connectors from digital sources such as a compact disc transport, laser disc transport, digital audio tape transport, or digital broadcast receiver.

The RCA input conforms to the Sony/Phillips Digital Interface Standard (S/PDIF), which calls for a 75Ω transmission of the DAS. Use a digital interconnecting cable specifically designed for the 75Ω S/PDIF standard when using this input.

4. balanced analog outputs

26 These outputs normally provide balanced line-level analog audio (via cables equipped with XLR-type connectors) to a preamplifier, integrated amplifier, or receiver equipped with balanced inputs (see “Setup and Installation”). The pin assignments used are AES-standard, as shown below:

Pin 1: Signal ground Pin 2: Signal + (non-inverting) Pin 3: Signal – (inverting) Connector ground lug: chassis ground

Alternatively, you may elect to use the variable output capability of the Nº390S as a volume control, driving the power amplifier in your system directly. For a digital-only system, the Nº390S is an excellent preamplifier.

Since many people have at least one analog source, they will be better off having a full preamplifier to coordinate the operation of the entire system—digital and analog. In this case, you would leave the Nº390S in its factory-default setting of having a fixed (line level) output. 5. single-ended analog outputs These outputs provide single-ended line-level analog audio (via cables equipped with RCA-type connectors) to a preamplifier, integrated amplifier, or receiver.

Alternatively, you may elect to use the variable output capability of the Nº390S as a volume control, driving the power amplifier in your system directly. Of course, this approach is only appropriate in relatively simple systems lacking any analog sources.

6. external IR input The Nº390S incorporates an infrared repeater input to facilitate a wide range of installation options. If desired, the Nº390S may be placed inside a cabinet or outside the normal line-of- sight in the listening area, with the controlling IR signal being relayed to the Nº390S by any of a number of commercially- available IR repeaters.

27 The specifications for this IR input call for a triggering voltage of 5-12 volts at no more than 100 milliamperes of current, with the tip of the 1⁄8" mini-plug having positive polarity, as below:

IR Input Tip Polarity

If you would like more information on the possibility of using an infrared repeater with your Nº390S, please contact your Mark Levinson dealer. 7. communication ports These communications ports allow the Nº390S to “link” to certain compatible Mark Levinson components. (See “Special Functions.”)

Linking Connections The Mark Levinson Linking system provides for inter-component communications. Normally, the digital processor in the system would serve as the “master” of this communications system, while other components including the transport would be “slaves” to that master. (The master acts as a central clearing- house for that information—sort of like the Post Office, but quite a bit faster.) Since the Nº390S is both a digital transport and a digital processor in one component, it automatically configures itself as either a master or a slave, based on the needs of the rest of the system. (Technically, if the Nº390S senses another master on the communications bus, it automatically configures itself as a slave.)

The most common configuration for systems incorporating the Nº390S is illustrated at left. The Nº390S’s master out port normally sits at the beginning of the chain, and is connected to the slave port of a Mark Levinson preamplifier using a “straight-through” eight conductor modular cable. The preamplifier, in turn, serves as the “master” for the power amplifier(s) with which it is used. (See diagram at left for clarification.) 28 Alternatively, if you elect to use the variable output feature of the Nº390S to drive a power amplifier directly, it may serve as the power amplifier’s “master” using a special eight-to-six conductor Link cable described below. Using this cable automatically configures the Nº390S as though it were a Mark Levinson preamplifier in order to control the Mark Levinson power amplifier. (See diagram at left for clarification.)

Finally, if at some point you end up using your Nº390S as a transport in conjunction with a separate Mark Levinson digital processor, simply insert it between the processor and the preamplifier (connecting the processor’s master port to the Nº390S’s slave in port, and the Nº390S’s slave out port to the preamplifier’s slave port) to keep the daisy chain going. Sensing another “master” on the communications bus, the Nº390S will automatically configure itself as a slave to that master (hence the master/slave out nomenclature on the rear panel jack). (See illustration on page 24 for clarification.)

Important: If a compatible Mark Levinson preamplifier (i.e., the Nº380 or Nº380S) is Linked, it must be the last of the line-level components in the daisy chain. (Technically, it serves to terminate the communications bus used by the source components.) Electrically, the Link connection between the preamplifier and the power amplifier(s) in the system is independent of and distinct from the communications Links between various source components and the preamplifier. The reason for this is simple: the power amplifiers, lacking any microprocessor of their own, are dependent on the intelligence of the preamplifier for their Linked functionality. This remains true even when you employ the Nº390S as your “preamplifier.”

The modular cable needed for the Link connection between the Nº390S and other Link components may be purchased from your Mark Levinson dealer. It may also be easily made to length using two modular connectors and the appropriate length (up to 100 feet/30 meters) of flat, eight conductor cable.

Modular cables and connectors are used throughout the world for both telecommunications and computers, and are widely available. The connectors are crimped on to the ends of the cable such that pin 1 at one end is connected to pin 1 at the other end. Such a “straight-through” connection is made (counter-intuitively) by introducing a 180° twist in the cable between the two ends, as shown below.

Standard Link Cables

A different Link cable configuration is used when connecting the Nº390S to a power amplifier as though it were a preamplifier. It uses six-conductor cable (rather than eight), with a six- conductor modular plug at one end and an eight-conductor modular connector at the other end (using pins 1 through 6 of the latter), as shown below:

Amplifier Link Cables

(Note that the pins are numbered 1 through 8 from left to right when the locking tab is down and the metal contacts are pointing away from you.) Remote Control, Nº390S

1. IR Transmitter window

The Nº390S’s Remote Control sends infrared (IR) commands through its projection lens, and the Nº390S receives IR commands through its Remote sensor window. (See “Front Panel, Nº390S”). If either of these lenses is obstructed, no IR commands can be received by the Nº390S. If you notice IR performance deteriorating, you may want to clean these lenses with a soft cloth and some glass cleaner. (Spray the cleaner on the cloth first, and then wipe the lens with the moistened cloth. Do not spray the cleaner directly on either lens, as this may allow moisture to migrate into the electronics behind the lens assemblies.)

2. Transport Buttons The buttons used for routine operation of transport functions on the Nº390S are grouped at the top of the remote control.

They include:

• rew ( ) When clicked, this will take you to the beginning of the 30 previous track. ( is the international symbol for previous). When pressed and held (denoted by the bold dot •), the Nº390S will enter a reverse scanning mode similar to the familiar rewind function of many tape decks, allowing a precise location within a track to be found. This scan may be silent or audible, depending on your setup: sound preferences. (See Special Functions.)

• f.fwd ( ) When clicked, this will take you to the beginning of the next track. ( is the international symbol for next). When pressed and held (denoted by the bold dot •), the Nº390S will enter a fast forward scanning mode similar to the familiar fast forward function of many tape decks, allowing a precise location within a track to be found. This scan may be silent or audible, depending on your setup: sound preferences. (See Special Functions.)

• play ( ) Press to enter the play mode from either stop or standby, or to restart play at the beginning of the track currently playing. If there is no disc inside the Nº390S, pressing play will open the drawer so you may add a disc. • stop/dwr () Press to stop play. The same button will operate the drawer if stopping the disc has no relevance (e.g., if it is already stopped, or if there is no disc inside the Nº390S).

• pause () Press to pause play in the current location. If left in pause mode for more than two minutes, the Nº390S will enter extended pause mode, shutting down both the laser and the drive motors to enhance longevity and reliability. Upon pressing pause a second time, the disc will spin up and begin playing from the location where it had been paused.

3. A/B repeat button The Nº390S may be set to repeat any contiguous segment of a disc. Press once to establish a beginning point (point A) for an endless playback loop. The display will flash the letter B to indicate that it is ready to accept your designated ending point (point B). (Note that A must precede B on the disc.) Once this has been done, the Nº390S will repeat the segment of the disc between points A and B until you press stop or A-B again.

4. mode buttons 31 Using these three buttons, either of two Nº390S functions can be controlled from the remote control: • PROGRAM (for creating custom play lists) • TIMES (for selecting a time indication)

Either of these modes may be accessed by repeatedly pressing the mode button, thereby toggling back and forth between the options.

Along with mode + and mode –, the mode button is also used to change the option settings. (See Special Functions.)

For detailed information on programming the Nº390S, see Programming the Nº390S later in this manual. 5. Numeric Keypad The numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 may be used to directly access individual track numbers of discs played by the Nº390S. For example, to go directly to track 13, press 1 followed by 3, and then press play. You do not have to add a 0 before a single-digit track number: 7, followed by play, will take you directly to track number 7. (In fact, if the Nº390S is already in play, simply pressing the number button will be sufficient.)

The Nº390S displays a certain amount of intelligence with respect to direct track access. If the first number entered identifies a particular track unambiguously (such as 2 on a 12-track disc), the Nº390S is “smart” enough to immediately move to that track. If the first number entered could be the first of two digits (such as 1 on a 12-track disc), the Nº390S will wait for a moment to determine whether you wish to enter a second number. If not, it will then go to the single- digit track you selected.

Random Play Incidentally, if you press 0 followed by play, the Nº390S will enter a random play mode in which the order of the current disc’s play list is scrambled, and then played. The first character of the display (that shows a P when playing a custom program) will show R to indicate random play. Moreover, placing the Nº390S into random play mode while the disc repeat function 32 is engaged will cause it to play the various tracks on the disc randomly indefinitely (until you stop it). This can be a great way to provide background music during a dinner party, for example.

These numbers may also be used in conjunction with other features, such as programming and direct access by time. For example, when in the stop mode, you may press 5 and press the positive command for program – (see Special Commands table, page 55) to delete track 5 from your play list. In this case, the Nº390S would play that particular disc normally, except that it would automatically skip from track 4 to track 6.

Selecting a particular track does not affect the operating mode. That is to say, pressing 7 while in play begins playing track 7; pressing 4 while in pause leaves you paused at the beginning of track 4. 6. Other Operational Buttons

• time Pressing this button (followed by appropriate numbers from the numeric keypad) allows direct access to any particular time on a disc. Note that this is a context-sensitive control—the time accessed will be according to the currently selected time display mode, e.g., 30:00 with the time remaining and time on disc LEDs lit will take you to that point where thirty minutes remains to the end of the disc.

• polarity Pressing this button on the Nº390S remote control will transparently and automatically invert the polarity of both channels. Some recordings sound better with one polarity than the other; on many, the difference is subtle. In any case, the best place to judge the better polarity for any given recording is from the listening position (hence the placement of this feature on the remote control).

• rpt disc/trk Press once to enter disc repeat mode (repeating the entire disc, or an entire play list if one is entered). This action will illuminate the disc repeat LED. Press a second time to 33 enter the track repeat mode (repeating a single track ad nauseam). A third press will cycle you back to normal operation, as will pressing stop.

• mute Pressing this button will engage the mute function of a compatible Mark Levinson preamplifier without stopping the transport. Pressing it a second time will restore the volume to its previous setting. Since this function depends on the ability of the Nº390S to pass the instruction to the Nº380 (for example), the two components must be connected by a Link cable, and operate within a system which has a “master” digital processor. (See Special Functions for more information.) If you are using the Nº390S’s preamp (variable output) feature, the Nº390S will engage its own mute circuitry instead.

• intensity/standby Pressing this button momentarily cycles the Nº390S (and any Linked Mark Levinson components) through their four levels of display intensity (bright, medium, dim, off). When pressed and held (denoted by the bold dot •), this button will place the Nº390S into standby. When pressed and released, this button will take the Nº390S out of standby. • (+) volume Pressing this button on the Nº390S remote control will transparently and automatically raise the volume of a Linked Mark Levinson preamplifier, minimizing the need to juggle multiple remotes. Since this function depends on the ability of the Nº390S to pass the instruction to the Nº380 (for example), the two components must be connected by a Link cable. (See Special Functions for more information.) Alternatively, the Nº390S may be configured to use its own, internal volume control in all-digital systems lacking a preamplifier. (See Setup Options.)

• (–) volume Pressing this button on the Nº390S remote control will transparently and automatically lower the volume of a Linked Mark Levinson preamplifier, minimizing the need to juggle multiple remotes. Since this function depends on the ability of the Nº390S to pass the instruction to the Nº380 (for example), the two components must be connected by a Link cable. (See Special Functions for more information.) Alternatively, the Nº390S may be configured to use its own, internal volume control in all-digital systems lacking a preamplifier. (See Setup Options.)

• input select 34 Pressing this button on the Nº390S remote control will transparently and automatically cycle through its various active digital inputs, allowing you to select other digital sources connected to the Nº390S.

Analog Input Switching Alternatively, you may force the input select button to select from among your analog inputs on a Linked Mark Levinson preamplifier by pressing and holding the button until it shows DIGITAL, then clicking the button to change it to ANALOG, and then pressing and holding the input select button a second time to confirm your change. (You may change it back at any time by reversing this procedure.)

7. Battery Compartment The two AA batteries used by the Remote Control must be placed inside the compartment at the bottom of the remote’s housing. Using the hex wrench provided in your accessory kit (look inside the slot within the foam rubber), carefully remove the two screws on the bottom of the housing and insert the batteries, being careful to orient them as indicated inside the battery compartment. Then replace the screws using the hex wrench. Conditions that Affect IR communication between the Remote Control and the Nº390S IR Performance can be affected by: • direct sunlight • interior lighting • wall, window, ceiling, and floor treatments • the angle of the Remote Control relative to the Nº390S

If the Nº390S will be subject to direct sunlight, place it no more than 10 feet from where you’ll normally operate the Remote Control. Where bright sunlight virtually floods the room, IR communication may be inconsistent.

In a room lighted primarily with incandescent fixtures, place the Nº390S no more than 25-30 feet from where you’ll normally operate the Remote Control. In a room with fluorescent fixtures, this range will be reduced. Where bright fluorescent lighting virtually floods the room, IR communication may be inconsistent.

IR, like visible light, reacts differently when it meets different surfaces. Carpeting and draperies, for example, tend to diffuse (scatter) IR and interfere with its transmission. Glossy or reflective surfaces, such as mirrors and smooth walls, “bounce” (reflect) IR and won’t interfere with its transmission. When placing the Nº390S, it’s important to account for potential IR bounce and dif- fusion. For example, in a room with thick carpeting, heavy 35 draperies, and many pieces of furniture, you may need to place the Nº390S closer to where you’ll normally operate the Remote Control than you would in a sparsely furnished room with bare walls and hardwood flooring.

Optimum IR Reception If possible, install the Nº390S directly opposite from where you’ll Window normally operate the Remote Control. In practice, the Remote Control will operate the Nº390S at up to 30 degrees to either side of this direct line. To either side of this line, successful IR communication will depend on bounce and ambient lighting. (Please refer to the diagram at the left).

If the requirements of your installation preclude a clean line of sight between the Nº390S and your listening position, you may want to consider using an infrared repeater to route the remote control’s commands directly to the Nº390S, using the external ir input on the rear panel. (See item #6 in Rear Panel, Nº390S.) Please ask your dealer for more information on third-party IR repeaters. Setup and Installation

Caution! For your protection, review “Important Safety Instructions” before you install your Nº390S.

Connecting AC Mains Plug the female end of the AC power cord into the appropriate socket on the rear panel of the Nº390S, being certain to seat it firmly, all the way into the receptacle.

Double-check to make sure that the AC power switch is in the off position (the side of the switch with an “O” should be depressed), and also that the voltage indicated on your Nº390S corresponds to the normal voltage for your country. (Connecting a 120-volt Nº390S to a 220-volt AC outlet is not a good idea.)

Plug the male end of the power cord into the wall outlet, and then turn on the power switch located on the rear panel of the Nº390S (by depressing the side of the switch that has a single vertical line like this: “|”).

36 Connecting Digital The Nº390S incorporates EIAJ optical and RCA digital input Audio Sources connectors for up to two additional digital sources. (See Rear panel, Nº390S.)

For optical digital interconnection, we recommend the use of better quality optical EIAJ cable. Your dealer can help you select an appropriate cable for your system.

Using appropriate cables, connect an output of each additional source (laser disc, digital tape, etc.) to the appropriate input on your Nº390S. Connecting the Digital The Nº390S incorporates AES/EBU and S/PDIF electrical output Audio Outputs connectors for use with either digital recorders or with outboard digital processors. (See Rear panel, Nº390S.)

Using appropriate cables, connect the appropriate outputs on your Nº390S to your external digital components.

Making Link The Nº390S incorporates sophisticated inter-component Connections communications capabilities when Linked to compatible Mark Levinson components. (See “Communication Ports” in Rear panel, Nº390S.) If you own compatible Mark Levinson components, connect them to the Nº390S with an eight-conductor modular cable as described on p. 25. You may find that you need to cycle power off and on once after making this connection for the first time (if making the connection to a previously operating component), in order to ensure that all components in the chain are aware of each other’s presence. Engaging PLAY on the transport once from STOP will complete the Link connection by activating the communications bus between the components. (When using a preamplifier, you must also name the appropriate input “No390S” as described in the preamp’s manual in order to complete the Link.)

To help with special installations and custom cabinetry, drawings are included in this manual. (See Dimensions).

Connecting Analog The Nº390S provides both balanced (via XLRs) and single-ended Outputs analog outputs. Either set of outputs may be connected either to a preamplifier or (with the variable output feature engaged) directly to a power amplifier. It has been our experience that balanced interconnection provides superior performance, particularly if long runs of cable are required.

Using appropriate cables, connect the appropriate outputs on your Nº390S to your preamplifier or power amplifier. Basic Operation

Before operating your Nº390S, take a minute to become familiar with its controls and their locations. (See “Front Panel, Nº390S” and “Remote Control, Nº390S.”)

Loading a CD To load a CD: 1. Make sure that the main power switch is set to the “|” position. 2. Press stop/drawer to open the drawer. 3. Place a CD into the recess of the drawer, label side up. Handle the CD by the outer edges and center hole only. 4. Press stop/drawer.

Note: If you have previously saved a program for the CD, the letter P will appear preceding the track number on the display. (See “Programming the Nº390S.”)

To override a previously saved program, briefly press mode – once while in program mode. All of the CD’s tracks will be accessible for basic operation, but the program will still be retained in the Nº390S’s memory.

Playing a CD To play all tracks on the CD, press the play button. All tracks will play in order. Play will stop automatically at the end of the CD.

To begin play with a track other than the first track: 1. Before pressing play, press next until the number of the desired track shows on the Display. If you pass the track you want to play, you can “back up” by pressing previous. (You may also select the track using the numbered buttons on the Remote Control.) 2. Press play to begin playing that track. The remaining tracks will play in order. Play will stop automatically at the end of the CD.

To return to the beginning of a track while it is playing, press play. Play will be suspended briefly, then that track will replay followed by the remaining tracks on the CD.

Random Play Using the Remote Control, you may have the Nº390S play tracks at random. To do this, press the 0 (zero) numbered key, then press play. The display will show RANDOM briefly to indicate that you have entered the random-play mode. Subsequently, the letter R will appear preceding the track number in the display as a reminder. To cancel random play, press stop. Navigating the Disc You may skip to another track any time while a CD is playing. To move to another track, press next (to go forward) or previous (to go backward) until the number of the track you want to play shows on the Display. (You may also select the track using the numbered buttons on the Remote Control.) Play will resume as soon as the pickup reaches that track.

You may search for a particular passage on the CD using fast forward and rewind, by pressing and holding the next and previous buttons (respectively).

Use the reduced-volume audible scan available during these modes to search the CD until the laser pickup reaches the passage you want to hear. (Assuming your CD player is set for audible rather than silent scanning. If not, see Special Functions.)

As soon as you release the button, play resumes.

If you search past the beginning or end of a track, the laser pickup will move on to the previous (or next) track. If you try to search forward past the end of a CD or program, the laser pickup will stop at the end of the last track. If you try to search backward past the beginning of a CD or program, the laser pickup will stop at the beginning of the first track of the disc (or play list).

39 Direct Time Access You may use time on the Remote Control to begin play at a specific time on the disc.

To do this: 1. Select the desired track using either next and previous or the numeric keypad on the Remote Control. 2. Press time, then press the numbered buttons corresponding to when you would like play to begin. (The numbers you select will appear in the time portion of the display.) 3. To begin play at that point, press play.

Note: The time you select depends on the selection you’ve made with the display mode button: elapsed or remaining, CD or track.

For example, if you want to begin play one minute and thirty seconds into track 2, select track 2 by pressing 2 on the remote control. Press time, enter 1 3 0, then press play. (This example assumes that the most recently used display mode was elapsed time on track.) If you do not press play, the Nº390S will time out after ten seconds (that is, it will “forget” that you had begun to do something, and revert to normal operation). Alternatively, you might want to set the Nº390S to play music for a specific period of time. Say you’d like to listen to music until the evening news begins in 30 minutes. Make sure both the time on disc and time remaining LEDs are on (indicating time remaining on disc, the default display mode when in stop); press time; enter 3 0 0 0; and press play. This sequence will direct the Nº390S to a point 30 minutes from the end of the disc, and engage play at that point. When the music ends, you will know it is time to turn on the news.

Pause To suspend play while a CD is playing, press pause. To resume play at the same point, press pause again.

If left in pause for about two minutes, the transport will stop spinning and the laser will turn off (thereby enhancing the longevity of both). This extended pause mode will be indicated by the display showing a slowly flashing quotation mark () as a reminder that you are in the extended pause mode (since this mark mimics the double bars used to indicate pause).

Alternatively, extended pause may be engaged by pressing and holding the pause button until the double bars begin to blink.

40 Repeat Disc To repeat (continuously) all tracks on a CD, press repeat until the disc repeat LED is lit. To return to normal play, press repeat (or rpt disc/trk on the remote) again two more times (to cycle through track repeat to normal play). Pressing stop will also restore the Nº390S to normal (non-repeating) operation.

Repeat Track To repeat (continuously) the track in (normal) play, press repeat (or rpt disc/trk on the remote) twice to cycle through disc repeat to track repeat. While the track repeat function is active, the LED above the button is lit.

This feature is helpful (for example) when trying to learn how to play a particular song by playing along with the disc. To learn sections of the song, you may want to use the A-B repeat function described on the next page. Once you have most of the sections learned, you can put them together with a track repeat.

Track repeat takes priority over other functions such as next and previous. To return to normal operation, press repeat again. A-B Repeat To repeat (continuously) a specific phrase or passage on a CD (when learning how to play a favorite solo, for example), press A–B on the remote at the beginning of the passage you would like to repeat. At the end of the passage, press A–B on the remote again. The passage you selected will repeat continuously.

While the repeat A–B function is active, the letters A and B will alternate, preceding the track number on the display. To return to normal play, press the A–B button again.

Polarity The Nº390S can change its playback polarity to compensate for the inverted polarity of some recordings. When you first press polarity on the remote control, the Nº390S will display its current polarity, either NORMAL or INVERTED. Subsequent clicks on the polarity button while the display is indicating the current polarity will toggle between the two possibilities.

Programming the Nº390S

Introduction to Play Rather than playing an entire CD, you may choose to play only Lists certain selections. To do this, you create a “play list.” If this is a one-time play list, it may be used immediately upon being created (and will vanish when a new play list is created). Alternatively, 41 thousands of play lists may be stored in the Nº390S’s permanent memory, at which point each becomes the default play list for the particular disc with which it is associated (until you explicitly change it).

Before using your Nº390S’s programming features, become familiar with its controls and their locations, as well as their basic functions.

Note: During the playing of a play list, the Nº390S’s basic functions operate as described in “Basic Operation,” except that they affect the playback of the program, not the entire CD. For instance, pressing next during play skips to the next track in the play list, whether or not it is the next track on the CD. In the same way, engaging disc repeat will repeat the entire play list, not the entire disc.

The Nº390S allows up to 99 selections per play list, with any given track appearing once only. In practical terms, the only limitation on the length of your play list is the number of tracks on your disc.

Important Note: Assembling a play list is possible only when the disc is stopped. The Nº390S’s memory can store play lists for thousands of different CDs. Saved play lists remain in memory when you place the Nº390S into standby, when you turn off the main power switch — even if AC power is interrupted.

When you load a CD, the Nº390S reads that CD’s unique identification code. If you assemble a play list for a particular CD and save it into the Nº390S’s memory, the Nº390S “remembers” that CD’s play list.

The next time you load that CD, the Nº390S will recognize the CD’s identification code and automatically load the previously saved play list. (The display initially shows the number of tracks and total time on the disc, preceded by the letter P in the display.)

Even if you have previously saved a play list for a CD, the Nº390S allows you to temporarily override it (and have access to all tracks on the CD), without erasing it from memory. This temporary override applies to polarity programming as well.

To temporarily override a previously saved play list, click the mode button until PROGRAM is displayed on the front panel, and press mode – while the CD is loaded but before play has started. All of the CD’s tracks will subsequently be accessible for normal operations, but the original play list will still be retained in the Nº390S’s memory. You can even create a temporary play list as an 42 alternative to your normal, permanent play list.

Assembling a Play List To assemble a new play list: 1. Load a CD, and wait for the display to show the number of tracks and their total playing time. 2. Make sure that the Nº390S is in the programming mode by clicking the mode button until you see PROGRAM in the display. 3. Using the next and previous buttons (or the numbered buttons on the Remote Control), select the first track in your play list. 4. Add the first selection to your play list by pressing mode +. The display will acknowledge your command by showing a P preceding the track number on the display to indicate that it has been added to the play list. 5. Assemble the rest of your play list by repeating steps 2 and 3. Make sure to press mode + after each selection. Programming by If you want to play most of a CD, and just “omit” a few tracks, Omission you may want to use this shortcut: 1. Load a CD, and wait for the display to show the number of tracks and their total playing time. 2. Make sure that the Nº390S is in the programming mode by clicking the mode button until you see PROGRAM in the display. 3. Using the next and previous buttons (or the numbered buttons on the Remote Control), select the first track you want to eliminate from your program. 4. “Omit” the track by pressing mode –. This action deletes the track from the current play list, indicated by the PRG– in the display next to the track number. 5. Using next and previous, move to any other tracks you would prefer to skip, pressing mode – to eliminate each track from the play list. Once you are in the program mode, a P will illuminate to indicate a track is in the play list, and extinguish for any track omitted from the play list.

Saving a Play List Once you have created the play list you want for a particular disc, you may either use it as a temporary play list (using it only for that one occasion), or save it as the default play list for that disc.

43 To save a play list: 1. When you’ve finished adding selections, you can save the new play list by pressing and holding the mode + button. 2. The Nº390S will confirm that your play list is saved by displaying SAVED briefly (or REVISED if you changed an existing play list).

Reviewing a Play List To review your play list before playing it: 1. Load a CD for which you’ve already saved a play list (the letter P will appear preceding the track number on the display); or load an unprogrammed CD, then assemble and save a play list. 2. Make sure that the Nº390S is in the programming mode by clicking the mode button until you see PROGRAM in the display. 3. Without selecting any particular track, press mode +. The display will show the first selection in your play list. For example, if track 3 is the first selection in your program, the display would show P03 > 1st. Note: If you try to review a nonexistent play list, the display will show NO PGM.

4. To view the next selection, press mode + again, and so on. 5. After you view the last selection, one more press of mode + will cause the display to show END PGM momentarily, and then move on to show the first track in the play list.

Deleting a Track from a You may delete any selection from a play list. Play List To delete a selection: 1. Load a CD for which you’ve already saved a program (the letter P will appear preceding the track number on the display). 2. Make sure that the Nº390S is in the programming mode by clicking the mode button until you see PROGRAM in the display. 3. Press next/f.fwd. The display will show the first selection in your program. 4. Press next/f.fwd until the selection you want to delete appears on the display. 5. Press mode – ; the display will remove the P from the displayed track to indicate that it has been removed from the play list. 44 6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each selection you want to erase from your program. 7. If you would like to make this change permanent, press and hold mode + when you finish erasing selections from your program; the display will show REVISED.

Adding a Track to a You also may add a selection to a previously saved play list. Play List To do so: 1. Load a CD for which you’ve already saved a play list (the letter P will appear preceding the track number on the display); or load an unprogrammed CD, then assemble and save a play list. 2. Make sure that the Nº390S is in the programming mode by clicking the mode button until you see PROGRAM in the display. 3. Using the next and previous (or the numbered buttons on the Remote Control), select the track you want to add to your play list. 4. Add the selection to your play list by pressing mode +. Your new selection will be added to the end of your existing play list. 5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each selection you want to add to your program. Make sure to press mode + after each selection. 6. If you would like to make this change permanent, press and hold mode + when you finish erasing selections from your program; the display will show REVISED.

Overriding a Play List When you load a CD, the Nº390S reads its unique identification code. If you assemble a play list for a particular CD and save it into the Nº390S’s memory, the Nº390S “remembers” that CD’s play list.

Even if you have previously saved a play list for a CD, the Nº390S allows you to temporarily override it (and have access to all tracks on the CD), without erasing it from memory. You can even create a temporary play list as an alternative to your normal, permanent play list.

To temporarily override a previously saved play list: 1. Make sure that the Nº390S is in the programming mode by clicking the mode button until you see PROGRAM in the display 2. Press mode – while the CD is loaded, but before play has started.

45 The display will show CLEARED to indicate that the program has been temporarily overridden.

The display will show the total number of tracks and the total time on the disc (as it would if there were no play list associated with the disc). The P that denotes play list will be turned off. (If you change your mind, simply press stop to restore the previously created play list.) All of the CD’s tracks will subsequently be accessible for normal operations, but the original play list will still be retained in the Nº390S’s memory.

Erasing Play Lists from To permanently erase a previously saved play list from the Memory Nº390S’s memory, press and hold the mode – button while stopped in the PROGRAM mode; the display will show DELETED.

Why Polarity During the recording process, the polarity of the recorded signal is Programming? typically inverted many times. If the total number of 180° inversions is even, the “net” polarity remains unchanged; if odd, a 180° polarity inversion is introduced. Some people seem quite sensitive to this distinction. (The difference can be envisioned by imagining a kick drum being struck: the initial motion of the drum head is forward, forming a compression wave; if inverted, it would be reproduced as though the drum head had initially moved backward, creating a rarefaction.) To complicate matters further, different portions of (or instruments on) the recording may experience even or odd numbers of inversions, resulting in no single “correct” playback setting. This problem is particularly common among multiple-microphone recordings. Ultimately, only you can decide whether one polarity setting sounds better than the other, and if so, which you prefer.

Fortunately, if the Nº390S can control the playback polarity of its processor from the remote control. Moreover, the Nº390S can be asked to “remember” your preference (should you have one) for each recording.

Important Note: Programmed play lists include polarity information. The Nº390S will ensure the “correct” polarity (that is, the polarity you chose when creating the program) upon playback of that play list. This polarity may only be overridden by either temporarily overriding the play list or by re-programming the play list (see below). If you are sensitive to polarity (many people are not), you will want to determine the correct polarity before creating your play lists.

Whole-Disc Polarity If you want to remember only the preferred polarity for an entire Programming disc, and do not wish to store a custom play list: 46 1. Press stop. When in stop, the Nº390S displays the total number of tracks and time on the disc. (You must not have a preexisting program if you wish to save a single polarity for the entire disc in one step. To erase a preexisting program, press and hold the mode – button.) 2. Make sure that the Nº390S is in the programming mode by clicking the mode button until you see PROGRAM in the display. 3. Choose your preferred polarity. You may use either the polarity button on the processor or the polarity button on the Nº390S remote control. Select your preferred setting. 4. Press and hold the mode + button. The display will show POLARITY to indicate that it has saved your polarity program for the entire disc. The display will show a small p preceding the total number of tracks and time on the disc.

Track-by-Track Polarity Some discs seem to flip back and forth in polarity between one Programming track and the next. If you wish to store polarity on a track-by- track basis, follow the directions for assembling a play list (above), making certain that the polarity indicated for each track is correct before you press the positive command for program + (see Special Commands table, page 55) to add it to the play list. Similarly, you may “edit” the polarity of an existing program by pressing stop and then reviewing the play list one track at a time. Change the polarity of any track you like while its information is being displayed, and then press the positive command for program + (see Special Commands table, page 55) to revise the program.

Overriding a Polarity If you want to double-check you previously-saved polarity program, Program simply press the polarity button at any time. Doing so will change the polarity of the Nº390S, but will not modify the polarity program (e.g., the next time you play the disc, the polarity you saved in the program will be used).

Special Functions

The Nº390S offers many special customization features, allowing it to serve a wide range of needs simply and completely. These options are grouped in three SETUP menus: SOUND, LINKS, and AUX IN’s.

These three menus are accessed by pressing and holding (“camping on”) the mode button until the display changes to show SETUP, followed by SOUND. Subsequent clicks of the mode button will cycle through the various major menus (LINKS, AUX IN’s, and back to SOUND); any of these menus may be selected by pressing and holding the mode button a second time. Subsequent clicks of the mode button will cycle through the various items within each major menu; pressing and holding the mode button will take you back to the three main menus (should you want to go from a SOUND item to a LINK item, for example). At any point, having selected the menu item you would like to change, use the mode + and mode – buttons to turn various options on or off, respectively.

SOUND Menu Items: • Fixed/Variable Volume The Nº390S gives you the option of engaging a high quality analog volume control, allowing you to use the Nº390S as a digital-sources- only “preamp,” driving a power amplifier directly. This capability is particularly useful in simple systems involving only two or three digital sources. When first engaged, the volume control circuitry will be set to a low volume to avoid any chance of overdriving your loudspeakers.

The Nº390S has the ability to “link” several of its functions to compatible Mark Levinson components (like the Nº360/S Digital Audio Processor and the Nº380/S Preamplifier, and the Nº33 and 300-series power amplifiers).

Note: To take advantage of linked functions, you must connect the Nº390 to the other components via their communication ports. (See Rear Panel, Nº390S and Setup and Installation.)

48 • Silent/Audible Cueing The Nº390S also gives you the option of hearing a reduced- volume scan of the program material during fast forward or rewind, or of having the scan be silent. For some, the audible cueing helps identify the portion of the track they seek; others find the broken-up bits of music disconcerting and prefer silence.

• Balance Control If you have engaged the volume control circuitry by setting the + VARIABLE menu item, then you will also see a balance control within the setup menu, indicated by arrows pointing in both directions (when at the neutral position). Pressing the mode + key will move the balance and the image to the right, indicated by a number of decibels and the arrow pointing to the right; pressing the mode – key will reverse this process. (This menu does not appear in the – FIXED volume mode, since it would not apply.)

• Mute Control Similarly, a user-adjustable mute control is available when the volume control circuitry has been engaged. It offers a range of –3 to –41 decibels of muting in response to the remote control’s mute button being pushed. The factory default is -20 dB. • Locked Volume Lastly, if (and only if) the volume control circuitry is engaged, you have the option of setting a maximum volume beyond which the Nº390S will not go. This is particularly helpful if you have a combination of high sensitivity speakers and high sensitivity power amplifiers, which might make the normal maximum volume setting on the Nº390S dangerously loud for your particular system. (It was designed to be able to drive even relatively insensitive systems.) Alternatively, it can serve as a helpful “party control” to guard against indiscrete guests becoming somewhat overzealous in the heat of the moment.

If you want to set a maximum allowable volume, select your chosen volume setting and then toggle from UNLOCKED to LOCKED.

LINK Menu Items: • Standby Link This feature links the standby modes of the various Mark Levinson Linked components. For example: – If CD processor, preamplifier and power amplifier(s) are in standby mode, pressing the CD processor’s standby button will take all three components out of standby mode (making them ready to use). – If CD processor, preamplifier and power amplifier(s) are 49 “on” (not in standby mode), pressing the Nº390S’s standby button will place only the CD processor in standby mode (presuming that you may wish to use your digital processor with some digital source other than the Nº390S). – If CD processor, preamplifier and power amplifier are “on” (not in standby mode), pressing the preamp’s standby button will place all three components into standby mode.

• Name Link If you use the Nº390S as a transport with a Linked processor with your Nº390S (via one of the digital outputs), having the NAME link on will allow the Nº390S to show up in the display of the processor by name, e.g., No39 rather than a generic CD.

• Play Link When you press the Nº390S’s play button, this link automatically selects the appropriate inputs on the preamplifier so you can listen to the CD (if you have named that input “No39” as described in the preamp’s owner’s manual). This function also works on the Linked processor if the Nº390S is used as a transport (functioning as a “slave” on the communication system rather than as the “master.”) • Display Link This links the display intensity functions of the Nº390S and the other Linked components. When the components are linked, all displays will be set to the same brightness. Pressing display intensity on any of the Linked components will affect all the displays.

AUX IN’s Menu Items: The Nº390S also allows you to rename the two auxiliary digital inputs, in order to give them a name that might be more meaningful in the context of your system than their factory-default, generic RCA and OPT input names. You may select from the following list of names (the same list is available for both inputs).

Input Names DMX Digital Music Express DSS Digital Satellite System DAT Digital Audio Tape DCC Digital Compact Cassette MD Mini-Disc CDR Compact Disc-Recordable CDI Compact Disc-Interactive 50 DBS Direct Broadcast Satellite LD Laser Disc CD Compact Disc ADC Analog to Digital Converter AUX Auxiliary DCA Digital Cable Audio PCD Proceed CD PDT Proceed Digital Transport CDD Compact Disc Drive N.U. Not Used*

If, while playing the Nº390S you decide to change inputs (using either of its digital inputs), the Nº390S will place itself in pause. If you haven’t switched back to listen to the Nº390S again within 30 seconds, it will assume you are finished listening to it and place itself in the stop mode.

Note that if you elect “N.U.” (Not Used) as the name of an input, that input will be bypassed while cycling through the available inputs. Thus if you are using one of the two auxiliary inputs and not the other, setting the unused input to “N.U.” will change the input selection process to a simple toggle between the two used inputs. Labeling both auxiliary inputs “N.U.” will effectively disable the input selection process on the Nº390S, although it will still control the analog inputs of a Linked preamplifier.

Changing Link Options The following procedure will guide you through changing your Link options, should you decide you would like something other than the factory default settings. (Note that most people are perfectly satisfied with the default settings, and never need to concern themselves with this section.)

1. Make sure that the main power switch is set to the “on” (“|”) position and the unit is not in “standby.” 2. Press and hold the front-panel mode button until SETUP followed by SOUND appears on the display. Release the mode button; subsequent “clicks” of the mode button will cycle through each of your Nº390S’s main menus, in this order: SOUND, LINKS, AUX IN’s. Continued clicks on the mode button will return you to the beginning of the list, in case you accidentally pass the option you want to change. 3. When the display shows the menu you want to access, press and hold the mode button again. Subsequent clicks of the mode button will cycle through the various items within that menu. 4. When an item you wish to change is in the display, use the 51 mode + and mode – keys (either on the front panel or on the remote control) to change the setting. 5. Repeat step 4 for each setting you want to change. 6. When you have finished, press and hold the mode button again to confirm your change(s). The display will return to the original three main menus.

Once saved, your link settings remain in memory when you place the Nº390S into standby, when you turn off the main power switch — even if AC power is interrupted.

Sleep Timer The Nº390S also may be set to automatically enter standby after a predefined period. As shipped from the factory, its standby function is manual (that is, it only enters or leaves standby when told to do so by the user).

This feature is similar to a “sleep timer” on a clock radio. If playing a CD, for example, the Nº390S will enter standby automatically after the user-selected period of time. To change between manual and timed/ automatic standby: 1. Press and hold the standby button until the display reads MANUAL. 2. Release the standby button and then use the previous and next buttons to either advance or reduce the amount of time you want to transpire between the last activity of the Nº390S and its going into standby. You may select any number of minutes between 1-120. You may restore normal, manual operation by pressing previous to go “below” 1 minute, into MANUAL standby operation. 3. Allow the Nº390S to time out (returning the display to its normal operation).

Using Learning Remote Controls

The Nº390S includes both an infrared receiver and an infrared transmitter. With this capability, it can “teach” a learning remote control any commands that might be needed for remote operation.

Specifically, the Nº390S can send all of the necessary IR commands 52 from its display window, enabling you to teach a learning remote any or all of its pre-programmed commands, as well as some optional special commands that are available to solve specific installation-related problems.

The Nº390S has two special modes of operation into which it may be placed in order to facilitate the “teaching” of remote control commands to a learning remote control. The first allows you to easily teach the commands for which there are corresponding front panel buttons. The second allows you to teach “special” commands to the remote control for which there are no corresponding front panel buttons.

Teaching Nº390S Front 1. Press and hold the repeat button to enter the front panel Panel Commands teaching mode. The display will show TEACH IR to indicate that the Nº390S is ready to teach a learning remote control the infrared commands that correspond to its front panel buttons. The Nº390S sends infrared signals from the left side of the front panel display. If the learning remote control seems unable to learn IR commands, try adjusting the distance between the left side of the front panel display and the learning remote control. If you change your mind, simply don’t touch any button for ten seconds and the Nº390S will return to normal operation. (Hint: you may remember that this special “hidden” feature of the Nº390S is accessed via a press-and-hold of the repeat button by associating its use with the external IR “repeaters” so often used in custom installations; the functionality found here is of most value in such installations.)

2. Press any front panel button to cause the Nº390S to send the corresponding IR command. Line up the IR window of your remote control with the left side of the Nº390S display, at a distance of approximately 2"- 6". Select the to-be-learned button on the remote, then press the corresponding button on the Nº390S to fire the appropriate IR code.

Most learning remotes need to be held fairly still while they learn new IR commands; movement can garble the received IR. If you are uncertain as to how to prepare your remote control for learning new commands, refer to the instructions provided with the remote control.

3. Repeat the process of “teaching” new commands to the various buttons on your remote control until all appropriate or desired front panel commands have been learned by your remote. 53

4. When finished, exit the Teach IR mode by allowing the Nº390S to “time out.” You may wish to teach your remote control some of the Nº390S’s special commands (those for which there is no corresponding front panel button); in this case, you should go directly to the next section. Otherwise, simply avoid pressing any buttons for about ten seconds, and the Nº390S will automatically return to normal operation.

At some point, however, you should test all your newly “learned” commands to ensure that they were “learned” correctly.

Teaching Other As mentioned above, the Nº390S has the capability to teach Nº390S Commands learning remote controls special commands for which there are no front panel counterparts. These commands can be especially helpful in solving problems in certain kinds of custom installations. These “positive control” commands in the Nº390S will place it into a certain mode of operation regardless of its current state. For example, a positive control command to enter standby will leave the Nº390S in standby if already there, or switch it to standby if it is currently operating. This type of positive control is especially helpful when you do not necessarily know the current status of the Nº390S, as might be the case in a multi-room home entertainment system (for example).

1. Place the Nº390S in its front panel teaching mode. As explained on the previous page, you do this by pressing and holding the repeat button until the display reads TEACH IR. If no further buttons are pressed within approximately ten seconds, the Nº390S will “time out” and return to normal operation.

2. Release, then press and hold the repeat button a second time to place the Nº390S in its Custom IR mode. After about five seconds, the display will change from TEACH IR to OPERATE (the first special IR code available for teaching). This indicates that the special IR codes that do not correspond to front panel buttons are now available for teaching to a learning remote control—including some that are designed to solve problems unique to custom installations.

54 3. Press the “repeat” button repeatedly to advance to the desired function. The table on the next page lists the various commands that are available for the Nº390S for which there is not front-panel equivalent. In some cases, they represent “positive control” alternatives to commands that normally toggle between two settings (such as standby and operate). In other cases, they represent functions that exist only on the remote control. In the second column are the designations that will be displayed to indicate that the Nº390S is ready to fire the corresponding IR code.

Pressing repeat will advance you to the next command in the table. If no button is pushed for more than ten seconds, the Nº390S will “time out” and return to normal operation.

4. Momentarily press the repeat button to transmit the selected code. Line up the IR window of your remote control with the left side of the display of the Nº390S, at a distance of approximately 2"-6". Select the to-be-learned button on the remote, then fire the selected code from the Nº390S by pressing mode.

(If you are uncertain as to how to prepare your remote control for learning new commands, refer to the instructions provided with the remote control.) 5. Repeat the process of “teaching” new special commands until all desired commands have been learned by your remote control. If you take longer than approximately ten seconds between button pushes, the Nº390S will time out and return to normal operation. If this occurs, return to step #1 in this section. You may move through the entire list by pressing repeat.

6. When finished, return to normal operation by allowing the Nº390S to “time out.” The Nº390S will “time out” and return to normal operation after approximately ten seconds.

Special Commands Table Command Display positive control for operate OPERATE positive control for standby STANDBY positive control for stop JUST STOP set display intensity to off DISPLAY 0 set display intensity to medium DISPLAY 2 positive control for unpause UNPAUSE positive control for pause PAUSE positive control for leaving the repeat mode NO REPEAT 55 positive control for open drawer OPEN positive control for close drawer CLOSE positive control for random play RANDOM positive control for selecting analog inputs ANALOG positive control for selecting digital inputs DIGITAL positive control for program – PROG – positive control for program + PROG + Select CD input SET CD Select RCA input SET RCA Select optical (EIAJ) input SET OPT Troubleshooting

In general, refer any service problems to your Mark Levinson dealer. Before contacting your dealer, however, check to see if the problem is listed here. If it is, try the suggested solutions. If none of these solves the problem, contact your Mark Levinson dealer.

1. The Nº390S won’t function, and the display is dark. The unit is in standby. Press the standby button. The Nº390S isn’t plugged into the AC mains or the main power switch isn’t turned on. The wall socket, adapter, or extension cord is faulty. There’s a tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse in the wall outlet’s circuit. A fuse is blown in your Nº390S (contact your Mark Levinson dealer).

2. The display is lit, but there is no output. The proper digital input isn’t selected on the Nº390S. The proper analog input isn’t selected on your preamplifier. 56 The interconnecting cables are connected incorrectly or are faulty. The variable output volume adjustment is set to 0.0 (off).

3. The Nº390S display reads “NO DISC.” There is no disc in the drawer for the transport to read. The disc is upside down and therefore cannot be read. The disc has loaded improperly and cannot be read – open the drawer, ensure that the disc is placed properly in the drawer, and try again.

4. The Nº390S won’t play a CD inserted in the player. The CD is inserted upside down. There may be condensation (moisture) on the laser pickup. This can happen if the Nº390S is moved from a cold environment (such as a warehouse or a shipper’s truck) to a warm one. Set the main power switch to its "|" position, and leave it on for one hour to warm up, then try playing a CD again. 5. When a CD is playing, the sound "skips." The CD is severely scratched or dirty. The Nº390S is on an unstable surface or is too close to your speakers.

6. The linked functions don’t work. The Link cable is disconnected, or is connected incorrectly. Check your Link connections. The Link options are turned off. The preamplifier is not aliased (renamed) for the Nº39. The processor (if one is being used) does not have one of its inputs tied to the Nº390S. Try turning off/disconnecting AC power from both the preamplifier and the Nº390S. After several seconds, restore AC power to the preamplifier, then turn on the Nº390S’s main power switch. Never operate the main power switch without first making sure that power is turned off to your receiver, integrated amplifier, or preamplifier/power amplifier. Some associated Mark Levinson components may have older versions of the system software that do not fully support all Linked functions. Contact your Mark Levinson dealer with the model and serial numbers of your Mark Levinson components. If needed, new EPROMs will be 57 provided at no charge.

7. The Remote Control doesn’t operate the Nº390S. The Remote Control is at the wrong angle relative to the Nº390S, and the Nº390S can’t receive the signal. The sensor window on the front panel of the Nº390S is dirty or blocked. The Remote Control’s projection lens is dirty. Fluorescent lighting or sunlight is interfering with the operation of the Remote Control. The Remote Control’s batteries are weak and need to be replaced. The Remote Control’s batteries are installed incorrectly. Care and Maintenance

To remove dust from the cabinet of the Nº390S, use a feather duster. To remove dirt and fingerprints, we recommend isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth.

Caution! Always apply the isopropyl alcohol to the soft cloth and then wipe the Nº390S with the dampened cloth. Never pour or spray even small amounts of any liquid directly on the Nº390S, as doing so may allow the liquid to reach the circuitry inside the unit. Any liquid inside the unit poses a hazard to both the user and to the unit, and must be avoided.

Make sure that the Remote sensor window on the front panel and the Remote Control’s projection lens are kept clean and dust-free.

Fluorescent lighting and sunlight may interfere with the operation of the Remote Control. Avoid placing the Nº390S near fluorescent lamps or in direct sunlight.

When the Remote Control’s batteries need to be replaced, use 58 only AA batteries; always replace both batteries at the same time. If you don’t plan to use the Remote Control often, remove the batteries. When not used for an extended period, even “leakproof” batteries can leak corrosive acids that will damage the Remote Control (and will void the warranty).

A CD, handled carefully, will last indefinitely. A warped, dusty, or scratched CD can cause playback problems, including audible skipping or other noises. Handle a CD by the outer edges only; if necessary, support it with your index finger at the center hole.

When you’re finished playing a CD, always return it to its plastic case. Store your CDs where they won’t be exposed to direct sunlight, high humidity, or extremely high or low temperatures. Specifications

The correlation between published specifications and sonic quality is unreliable. A list of numbers reveals virtually nothing. All technical measurements must be subject to qualitative as well as quantitative interpretation.

Measurements of the Nº390S yield excellent results by any standards. However, only those specifications that apply to its actual operation are included here.

Frequency Response • 10Hz - 20kHz, +0dB, –0.3dB Total Harmonic Distortion • 0.002% @ 1 kHz, 0dBFS (10Hz-30kHz) (THD) Dynamic Range • 96dB (10Hz-30kHz) Signal-to-Noise Ratio • 105dB (10Hz-30kHz) Channel Separation • Better than 110 Db Intermodulation Distortion • Less than 0.005% (SMPTE IMD) Maximum Output • 4.45V balanced (0 dBFS signal) • 2.225V single-ended Volume Control • –61.2 to +12 dB 59 (attenuation) Range Digital-to-Analog • Dual differential 24-bit DACs Conversion Conversion Rate • 352.8kHz or 384kHz(input signal dependent), 24-bit Analog Filter • Bessel-tuned, linear phase to 40kHz Low-level Linearity • deviation less than 2 dB to below –90Dbfs less than 2 dB to below –102dBFS w/20-bit input Output Impedance (analog) • 10 Ω Direct Digital Output, XLR • AES/EBU 110Ω, 3.5V Direct Digital Output, RCA • S/PDIF 75Ω, 0.5V Mains Voltage • 100V, 120V, 200V, 220V, 240V, factory set for destination country Mains Frequency • 50 or 60 Hz, factory set for destination country Power Consumption • 36 watts maximum Overall Dimensions • See “Dimensions” Shipping Weight • 50 lbs. (23 kg) Input Complement • 1 EIAJ digital input • 1 S/PDIF (RCA) digital input Output Complement: • 2 male XLR balanced audio outputs • 2 RCA single-ended audio outputs • 1 AES/EBU (XLR) digital output • 1 S/PDIF (RCA) digital output Other I/O • 2 RJ-45 modular Communication Links • 1 3.5mm external IR input jack • 1 IEC AC mains connector

60 Dimensions

61 Installation Notes

62 63 3 Oak Park, Bedford, MA, 01730-1413 USA | Telephone: 781-280-0300 | Fax: 781-280-0490 | www.marklevinson.com Customer Support: Telephone: 781-280-0300 | Sales Fax: 781-280-0495 | Service Fax: 781-280-0499 Product Shipments: 16 Progress Road, Billerica, MA 01821-5730 USA

Part No. 070-630457 | Rev 1 | 04/04